Michael Shaheen, Chairman

(Appointment dates: 3/2007 through 2/2013)

Mr. Michael J. Shaheen is an Eastern Ohio native and an attorney in private practice in St. Clairsville, Ohio. Mr. Shaheen graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA in 1986 and the Capital University School of Law in 1989 and has practiced law in Belmont County, Ohio since 1989. Mr. Shaheen served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Belmont County from 1996 to 2005 and in addition, has served as Law Director for the Villages of Bellaire, Ohio and Adena, Ohio.

Mr. Shaheen is very active in community based and charitable organizations. He currently serves as President of the Belmont Harrison Sargus Juvenile District, Vice President of the Ohio Citizens for the Arts and Vice President, Board of Directors, Belmont County Friends of Juvenile Drug Court. Mr. Shaheen also continues to participate with various other professional, charitable and service organizations.

Keith McNamara, Vice Chair

(Appointment dates: 3/17/2003 through 2/8/2009)

Mr. McNamara is an attorney in private practice with the law firm, McNamara & McNamara. He was appointed to the Commission in March, 2003. Prior to this he was a member or the Franklin County Board of Elections. Mr. McNamara served six terms in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1961-1972. He served as Chairman of the Reference Committee, Chairman of the Select Committee on Rules, Chairman of the L.S.C. Committees on Substandard Housing, Public Mass Transit and Domestic Relations Law. During his tenure at the Ohio House of Representatives Mr. McNamara was principal sponsor of 63 bills which became Ohio law. Since 1990, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors, State Justice Institute. He has also served, and continues to participate, on a variety of professional and service organizations.

Robert A.Gardner, Member

(Appointment dates: 2/8/2005 through 2/8/2011)

Mr. Gardner was appointed to the Commission in February, 2005. Prior to his appointment he served as a State Senator for the 18th district. During his tenure in the Senate, Mr. Gardner served as the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and worked to establish the legislative priorities with regard to all education-related legislation and was responsible for crafting the education portion of the states's biennial budget. Mr. Gardner also served as a member of the State Board of Education, the Ohio Board of Regents, the Governor's Commission for Student Success, The Governor's Commission for Teaching Success, the Student Tuition Recovery Authority, the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority and the Legislative Committee on Education Oversight. Prior to his tenure in the Ohio Sentate, Mr. Gardner served as a Lake County Commissioner. Previous to this he spent close to thirty years as a public school educator.

John Stephan, Executive Director

Jada Brady, Assistant Director/Rules Administrator

A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Jada Brady spent nearly eight years as an aide in the Ohio Senate. After working in the Senate, Miss Brady served as the Neighborhood Development Director for Ward 19 in Cleveland, Ohio. She is also a former staffer of the Franklin County Treasurer's office. Miss Brady is a graduate of Youngstown State University.

• Philip K. Johnson, Administrative Assistant
• Karina Rifman, Administrative Assistant
• Becky Witten, Administrative Assistant